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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda Report - February 17, 1993 (81)or o�� r CITY OF LODI COUNCIL COMMUNICATION 00 AGENDA TITLE: Report Regarding Eastside Task Force MEETING DATE: February 17, 1993 PREPARED BY: City Clerk RECOMMENDED ACTION: 71tat Council receive the attached report and take action as deemed necessary. BACKGROUND INFORMATION: At the meeting of February 3, 1993, the Mayor directed Virginia Snyder, Virginia Lahr and John Young to meet with staff to prepare guidelines and recommendations regarding the formation of an Eastside Task Force and to return to the City Council with its recommendations within 30 days. Ms. Snyder contacted the City Clerks office to say that they had prepared the guidelines and recommendations for the formation of this committee, and they are prepared to give a report at the City Council meeting of February 17, 1993 (see copy of report attached). FUNDING: None required. '4nnife M. Perrin City Clerk COUNC124/TXTA.02J/COUNCOM APPROVED: iii THOMAS A. PETERSON rKycsw pope, city Manager W F0_ February 8, 1993 TO: Lodi City council FROM: Virginia Lahr, John Young, Virginia Snyder RE: Eastside Task Force. Recommendations for consideration and action. Community response to this effort has been enthusiastic. The following summary sets forth guidelines under which we would like to operate. Since we are all new at this, we will no doubt ask for modifications as we gain experience. we propose Eastside Improvement Committee for our official name. 1. We feel this body should be an arm of city government. Since we will be working toward solutions of some monumental problems, it is our belief that we need the full authority of the City of Lodi behind us. Success of this effort will depend on citizen volunteers, and we intend to operate in an atmosphere of openness and trust which would meet the requirements of the Brown Act. 2. Under the guidance of the City Manager, City Attorney, and Community Services Director, we plan to educate Lodi citizens on how to reclaim their neighborhoods from drugs, crime, and blight by using existing laws and ordinances. 3. It is our belief that the designation "eastside" should encompass an area bounded by Sacramento Street, Highway 99, Turner Road, and Century Boulevard. (By including Century Boulevard, we can serve the area south of the Kettleman Lane overpass which has been in decline for years.) 4. We believe a steering committee of fifteen members should lead this effort. We suggest two requirements for board members. We believe they should be: (a) individuals who either reside on the eastside, own eastside property, or are engaged in business on the eastside; (b) persons who agree to establish a Neighborhood Watch group on their own block. (The act of forming such a group would demonstrate commitment on the part of steering committee members. We're looking for self-starters.) 5. For the present, we see six areas of immediate concern: a. Neighborhood Watch for fighting drugs and crime. We have volunteers who will walk around neighborhoods and encourage people to establish Neighborhood Watch groups. They will furnish support and expertise. Goal: Establish Neighborhood Watch on every block. b. Renters and Landlords. Goal: educate on health and safety codes, screening tenants, evictions. Explain legal penalties for harboring criminal activity, take action if necessary. Require resident apartment managers. -1- r c. Publicity and Speaker Bureau. Goal: gain public support by speaking to civic groups, churches, ethnic groups. Inform residents on how to effectively complain, start Neighborhood Watch. d. Business Interests. Goal: explain attractive business climate promotes profit, property appreciation. Work with DBA, Cherokee Lane, mayor's Sacramento Street project. Inform businesses of "ugly" ordinance, legal implications. Alert community ;.o movement of prostitutes, drug dealers, and winos from Sacramento Street to Cherokee Lane, East Lodi Avenue, and East Pine Street. e. Ethnic Outreach Goal: enlist bi-lingual volunteers to educate immigrants on civic responsibility, city laws, and Neighborhood Watch. Recruit minorities for Eastside Improvement Committee. f. "Ugly Ordinance" Goal: require clean up of eyesores, trash, abandoned vehicles. Train volunteers to teach citizens how to enforce compliance with the law. 6. Two steering committee members would be assigned to each of the above categories; one would serve as team leader and the second would serve as alternate. Six individuals would serve three -year -terms, six would serve two-year terms, and six would serve one -year -terms. Team leaders will teach, guide, direct efforts of volunteers who serve on each committee. 7. With the exception of the steering committee, citizens from the community at large will be encouraged to serve on a committee of interest to them. We need help from the entire city. 8. With your consent, Virginia Snyder would serve as coordinator for one year. John Young would serve as first alternate, and Virginia Lahr would serve as second alternate. Subsequent coordinators and alternates must have served one year on the steering committee and will be elected by a majority vote of the steering committee. New terms would begin March 1, 1994. With Council approval, the coordinator and alternates could be elected to serve additional terms. 9. We propose that the city Council advertise the formation of the steering committee and ask for volunteers. Lahr, Young, and Snyder would appreciate being asked to screen the applications and make recommendations to the City Council for approval. A trial application form for your consideration is attached. We respectfully request a review of this proposal by the City Council, City Attorney, City Manager, and Community Services Director. Any advice or suggestions will be much appreciated. -2- 1 LODI EASTSIDE IMPROVEMENT COMMITTEE Phone 368-8848 Under the auspices of the Lodi City Council, a group of citizen volunteers has formed a committee to combat drugs, crime, and blight in Lodi's eastside neighborhoods. This effort will be directed by a steering committee of fifteen citizens who either reside, own property, or operate a business on the eastside. Each steering committee member will establish a Neighborhood Watch group on his/her own block. In addition to the steering committee, we need the help of all our citizens. To help us best utilize your talents, please fill out this form and mail to: P.O. Box 2444 Lodi, Ca. 95241. NAME ADDRESS Phone Would you like to be considered for the steering committee?_ No, it's not for me, but I'd like to help in other areas. Comments Please circle areas of most interest to you. 1. NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH for fighting drugs and crime. We will learn how to report drug dealers while at the same time remaining anonymous. We need people who enjoy walking, clerical help, telephone callers. 2. RENTERS AND LANDLORDS. We will learn about health and safety codes, screening tenants, evictions. We will explain legal penalties for harboring criminal activity and take action when necessary. 3. SPEAKER BUREAU to gain public support by speaking to . civic groups, churches, ethnic groups. inform residents on how to effectively complain and get results. 4. BUSINESS INTERESTS. An attractive business climate on the eastside will enhance profits and property appreciation. 5. ETHNIC OUTREACH will enlist bi-lingual volunteers to inform immigrants on city laws, Neighborhood Watch, and will recruit minorities for Eastside Improvement Committee. 6. "Ugly Ordinance" team will enforce cleanup of eyesores, trash, abandoned vehicles, decrepit buildings. APPLICATIONS ARE NOW BEING ACCEPTED FOR THE CITY OF LODI EASTSIDE IMPROVEMENT COMMITTEE IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN SERVING ON THIS COMMITTEE, PLEASE CONTACT: VIRGINIA SNYDER P.O. BOX 2444 LODI, CA 95241 (209) 368-8848 OR THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE AT (209) 333-6702 Note: Please run the regular bordered ad. 412 E. Oak St. Lodi, Ca. 95240 February 17, 1993 Mr. Kirk Evans, City of Lodi Office of the City Manager P.O. Box 3006 Lodi, Ca. 95241-1910 Dear Mr. Evans: The Lodi Eastside Improvement Committee has arranged for the use of Loel Community Senior Center as our regular meeting place. Loel Center is graciously donating the space. Beginning on March 11, 1993, our regular public meetings will be held the second Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m. Also, we may want to have sub-cammittee meetings after the regular meeting. Sub -committee meetings will also be open to the general public. Both meetings will be subject to the Brown Act and we will post agendas at the library, city hall, and the police station. Loel Center requires proof of insurance by the City of Lodi. This proof should be in writing with a city letterhead, and addressed to: Loel Community Senior Center at 105 South Washingt•in Street, Lodi, Ca. 95240. Their contact person is Mrs. Gerry Shook at 369-1591, or 369-5379. Loel Center requires $300,000.00 liability coverage. This meeting will be open to the public, and any and all persons connected with the Eastside Improvement Committee, its subcommittees, and volunteers at large should be covered. Also, guest speakers and other resource persons should be included. At present, we have no way of estimating the number of persons who might be in attendance. A copy of Loel Center's lease agreement is attached. Please let me know if you need further information. Sincerely, Virginia Snyder Eastside Improvement Committee 367-1037 February 19, 1993 Ms. Virginia Snyder 412 East Oak Street Lodi, CA 95240 Dear Virginia: This is to inform you that at its meeting of February 17, 1993 the City Council approved the report and recommendations prepared by your ad hoc committee and has approved cooperating in the effort to formulate the Eastside Improvement Committee. Virginia, I would like to once again tell you what a good job you did on your report; it was very impressive. I am still receiving phone calls from interested citizens, and I have now been directing them to contact you at the phone number you gave out at the Council meeting. I also wanted to let you know that our office has a generic application form that I would be glad to have interested people fill out if they came into the office. I would then forward it on to you, if you do not see a problem in doing so. If you need any assistance or advise from our office, please do not hesitate to give me a call. Very truly yours, e if Perrin City Clerk imp CITY COUNCIL THOMAS A PF iFRSON PHILLIP w PENNINO..»avor CITY O F L O D I ` ity .tanager JACK SIEGLOCK IFNNIFER.vt PERRIN Mavor Pro Tempore (: tt� Clerk RAY G DAVENPORT fall HAII 111 W,l PI\f STREf f 1108 MCN.AIT STEPHEN I MANN P0 FOX W06 1. rtV Attorney MDI C 1LII0R\IA9i?4I 1410 IOHNR fRandvlSWUFR 1(14) 1 W ih iJ ink :,p: .,— February 19, 1993 Ms. Virginia Snyder 412 East Oak Street Lodi, CA 95240 Dear Virginia: This is to inform you that at its meeting of February 17, 1993 the City Council approved the report and recommendations prepared by your ad hoc committee and has approved cooperating in the effort to formulate the Eastside Improvement Committee. Virginia, I would like to once again tell you what a good job you did on your report; it was very impressive. I am still receiving phone calls from interested citizens, and I have now been directing them to contact you at the phone number you gave out at the Council meeting. I also wanted to let you know that our office has a generic application form that I would be glad to have interested people fill out if they came into the office. I would then forward it on to you, if you do not see a problem in doing so. If you need any assistance or advise from our office, please do not hesitate to give me a call. Very truly yours, e if Perrin City Clerk imp